Bonding and Structure

Bonding Structure Examples

Ionic : electrostatic force of Sodium chloride

attraction between Magnesium oxide
Giant Ionic Lattice
oppositely charged ions

Covalent : shared pair of Simple molecular: Iodine

electrons With intermolecular forces (van der Ice
Waals, permanent dipoles, hydrogen Carbon dioxide
bonds) between molecules Water
Methane
Covalent : shared pair of Macromolecular: Diamond
electrons giant molecular structures. Graphite
Silicon dioxide
Silicon
Metallic: electrostatic Magnesium, Sodium
force of attraction between Giant metallic (all metals)
the metal positive ions and lattice
the delocalised electrons

Only use the words molecules and intermolecular forces when talking about simple molecular substances

Property Ionic Molecular (simple) Macromolecular Metallic

boiling and high- because low- because of high- because of high- strong electrostatic forces
melting of giant lattice weak intermolecular many strong covalent between positive ions and sea of
points of ions with forces between bonds in delocalised electrons
strong molecules (specify macromolecular
electrostatic type e.g van der structure. Take a lot
forces waals/hydrogen of energy to break the
between bond) many strong bonds
oppositely
charged ions.

Solubility in Generally generally poor insoluble insoluble

water good

conductivity poor: ions poor: no ions to diamond and sand: good: delocalised electrons can
when solid can’t move/ conduct and poor, because move through structure
fixed in lattice electrons are electrons can’t move
localised (fixed in (localised)
place) graphite: good as free
delocalised electrons
between layers

conductivity good: ions can poor: no ions poor (good)

when molten move

general crystalline mostly gases and solids shiny metal

description solids liquids Malleable as the positive ions in
the lattice are all identical. So the
planes of ions can slide easily
over one another
-attractive forces in the lattice are
the same whichever ions are
adjacent

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Shape of molecules

Name No No lone Diagram Bond angle Examples

bonding pairs
pairs
linear 2 0 Cl Be Cl 180 CO2, CS2, HCN,
BeF2
Trigonal 3 0 Cl Cl 120 BF3, AlCl3, SO3,
planar NO3-, CO32-
B

Cl
Tetrahedral 4 0 H 109.5 SiCl4, SO42-, ClO4-,
NH4+

H H

Trigonal 3 1 .. 107 NCl3 ,PF3 ,ClO3

pyramidal ,H3O+
N

H
H

Bent 2 2 .. .. 104.5 OCl2, H2S, OF2 ,

O SCl2

H H

Trigonal 5 0 F 120 and 90 PCl5

Bipyramidal F
P F
F

F
F
Octahedral 6 0 90 SF6
F F

F F

How to explain shape 1. State number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons.
2. State that electron pairs repel and try to get as far apart as possible (or to a
position of minimum repulsion.)
3. If there are no lone pairs state that the electron pairs repel equally
4. If there are lone pairs of electrons, then state that lone pairs repel more than
bonding pairs.
5. State actual shape and bond angle.

Remember lone pairs repel more than bonding pairs and so reduce bond angles (by about 2.5o
per lone pair in above examples)
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 Occasionally more complex shapes are seen that are variations of octahedral and trigonal
bipyramidal where some of the bonds are replaced with lone pairs. You do not need to learn the
names of these but ought to be able to work out these shapes using the method below

: : X:
:

X X : X : : X

:
:

Square planar Bond angle ~89O Bond angle ~89O Bond angles ~119 + 89O
Linear
Bond angle 90O (Reduced by lone pair) (Reduced by lone pairs) (Reduced by lone pair)
Bond angle 180O

e.g XeF4 e.g. BrF5 e.g I3- e .g.ClF3 e.g. SF4 & IF4+

Xe has 8 electrons in its outer
shell. 4 F’s add 4 more
electrons. This makes a total of
12 electrons made up of 4
bond pairs and 2 lone pairs.
The means it is a variation of
the 6 bond pair shape
(octahedral)
Cl has 7 electrons in its outer
shell. 3 F’s add 3 more
electrons. This makes a total of
10 electrons made up of 3 bond
pairs and 2 lone pairs. The
means it is a variation of the 5
bond pair shape (trigonal
bipyramidal)
I has 7 electrons in its outer
shell. 4 F’s add 4 more
electrons. Remove one electron
as positively charged. This
makes a total of 10 electrons
made up of 4 bond pairs and 1
lone pair. The means it is a
variation of the 5 bond pair
shape (trigonal bipyramidal)

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